My Japanese Stamp Club

Some of you may or may not know that I can fluently converse in Japanese.  Or maybe I should say some of you may not know that I am an American-born Japanese.  Sometimes I get the funny comment about how well I speak English! I just smile and say "Thank you."  Through this ability, I've had the great fortune of meeting many wonderful Japanese women in the area whose husbands are temporarily assigned to the States for work, and many only live here for 3-5 years.  When I introduced a Japanese friend to my love of stamping and paper crafting, she was immediately hooked. Well, she told a friend, who told a friend and so on and so forth, until I found myself creating a stamp club just for my Japanese friends.  The perk for them was that I would conduct the classes in a language they understand and they would be in their comfort zone with their Japanese friends.

I've been holding these classes for about 3.5 years now, and have had 4 classes each year, with 4 projects a piece.  I haven't been consistent in posting the projects here, but I hope I can start to do so this year.

This month we met and made 3 cards and 1 non-card project.


Valentine Pouch

This is a design that was featured in a publication for Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  I love the stamp set and this was super easy to make yet so practical too for giving Valentine treats.
Materials: Valentine Defined stamp set (Occasions Mini), Crumb Cake Medium Envelopes, Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery cardstocks, Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper, Soft Suede classic ink pad, Certainly Celery 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon. I made my own crimped filler strips of paper, and used Hershey Mini chocolates for treats. Tools: Scalloped Border punch and Small Heart punch.


Thanks card

A pretty design inspired by a card I found on SplitCoastStampers by "stampyblock" using the same Growing Green stamp set. LOVE the new crochet trim ribbons by SU! And together, the Antique brads work extremely well too!
Materials: Growing Green stamp set, Afterthoughts (hostess set), Pink Pirouette, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White cardstocks, Whisper White craft pad, Pink Pirouette, Not Quite Navy and Crumb Cake classic ink pads, Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim ribbon, Antique Brads. Tools: Crop-a-Dile, Stampin Sponges.




Three Little Words card

This card looks a lot cuter in person than it does on the photo. Originally, I was only going to use a thin strip of Chocolate chip cardstock in the middle of the card, but then I just got the Dotted Ribbon border punch this year so I was able to use it for the first time! And I must say, it yielded a MUCH better result!
Materials: Three Little Words and Great Friend stamp sets, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip cardstocks, Subtles Patterns Designer Series paper, Regals Patterns Designer Series paper, Baja Breeze and Cajun Craze classic ink pads, Basic Pearls Jewel Accents. Tools: Dotted Ribbon border punch, Glue Dots. 

Just Believe card

Another card inspired by one found on SCS by Julie Davison, using the same stamp set. I completely changed the color scheme to one that I normally do not prefer myself, but I so often lean towards blues and greens or neutrals, so this was a nice change of scenery for my attendees. I have to remind myself that not everyone has the same taste in colors as I do and I need to broaden my spectrum.
Materials: Just Believe stamp set, So Saffron, Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White cardstocks, Elegant Eggplant and So Saffron classic ink pads, White 5/8" Satin Ribbon. Tools: Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle punch.